There is a new outbreak with much not traced to an origin.
https://www.theguardian.com/worl ... utbreak-of-pandemic
Taiwan records 180 new cases in island’s worst Covid outbreak of pandemic
New restrictions, including a mandate on mask-wearing and limits on gatherings in the capital, Taipei, will stay in place for two weeks
Taiwan Health Officials Set Up Rapid COVID-19 Test Stations Following The Outbreak, Taipei - 14 May 2021Mandatory Credit: Photo by Annabelle Chih/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock (11904243b) Medical staff at the rapid COVID-19 test station in Wanhua District following the outbreak in Taipei, Taiwan on 14 May, 2021. Taiwan Health Officials Set Up Rapid COVID-19 Test Stations Following The Outbreak, Taipei - 14 May 2021
Medical staff at a rapid Covid-19 test station in Wanhua, Taipei set up after a rare outbreak. Photograph: Annabelle Chih/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock
Helen Davidson in Taipei
@heldavidson
Sat 15 May 2021 02.07 EDT
Last modified on Sun 16 May 2021 00.01 EDT
196
Taiwan has reported 180 new cases of Covid-19 as it rushes to contain the worst outbreak the island has seen since the pandemic began. Authorities have raised the alert level in Taipei and the neighbouring county of New Taipei, limiting family gatherings, and ordering numerous industries to close.
Taiwan has been one of the world’s pandemic success stories, and its case numbers remain low relative to outbreaks around the world. But Saturday’s cases, which bring its total number so far to about 1,470 among a population of 24 million, mark the highest rates of community transmission since the pandemic began. Until now almost all of Taiwan’s cases were detected in new arrivals held in hotel quarantine.
Of the 180 cases, 132 were reportedly without a known source. There were 89 were recorded in Taipei city, 75 in New Taipei and the rest scattered in other counties.
The current wave is believed to have jumped to the community from staff at China Airlines and an airport quarantine hotel late last month. In the past fortnight at least 265 cases have been diagnosed – more than 77% of Taiwan’s total number of local cases since the pandemic began.
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At a press conference on Saturday, Premier Su Tseng-chang and cabinet ministers announced the lifting of the alert level for Taipei and New Taipei from two to three, on a four-level scale, where four establishes a lockdown. Beginning 4pm Saturday they will remain in place until 28 May, authorities said.
According to guidelines published in local media, level 3 generally includes mandatory mask wearing in public, limits on outdoor gatherings to 10 and indoor gatherings to five, and the closure of all businesses except essential services, law enforcement, government services, and health services.
However in Saturday’s announcement, food and beverage outlets were only ordered to close if they could not fully implement customer ID registration and social distancing measures. Customers were urged to choose takeout over dining in. Weddings and funerals have not been cancelled but will require registration of attendees, and the limits on gatherings did not apply to schools or work.
Within hours of the announcement some supermarkets were mobbed by shoppers, despite no apparent suggestion that supermarkets would close. Food delivery service UberEats alerted customers it would immediately shift to contactless delivery.
Scenes at a grocery store in Taipei, only 30 minutes after new Level 3 pandemic restrictions were announced. Shelves are empty. Checkout lines are snaking around the building. The wait is 1+ hour and getting longer
